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Area children will have a chance to celebrate Eastern Shawnee tribal traditions on their way back to school this Saturday.
The annual Shawna Stovall Children’s Back-to-School Pow-Wow will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday and run into the evening. The pow-wow kicks off with several activities: dunk tanks, bounce activities, a giveaway of school supply-filled backpacks to children during the festivities. A cakewalk and raffle will be available, and kids will be entered in a drawing after they receive their school supplies. A balloon artist will be on the grounds and there will be face painting and several vendors selling food, crafts and Native American jewelry.
Kids will get a chance to learn about alcohol awareness by donning beer goggles and trying to drive. Traditional tribal storytelling with Janelle Adair starts at 1 p.m., followed by a gourd dance at 2 p.m. There will be a traditional dinner meal at 5 p.m., and the dancing contests will start after the 7 p.m. grand entry.
Many locals have always gone to pow-wow, said Dian Torres, childcare developmental fund program coordinator, but for some the traditions have almost been forgotten, making cultural preservation important for today.
“Back a long time ago our parents’ parents were taught to keep all of that hush, hush because of the way Native Americans were treated,” she said.
As part of their culture-building efforts, the Eastern Shawnee tribe has also organized beading classes and an after-school program where kids get help with their homework, but once a week the focus turns to culture with crafts, stories, dance, skits about the great people of the past and maybe learn a few words in the Shawnee language.
For the last five years or so the tribe has held a back-to-school pow-wow. The annual event was started by tribal member Shawna Stovall who headed up the organizing committee until her death last year. The pow-wow was renamed in her honor and this will be the second year it carries her name. A grant, overseen by the Eastern Shawnee Child Care Developmental Fund, funds the project
Torres credits the pow-wow with the number of children enrolling in classes to learn the tribal dances.
“Each year we’re getting more and more children who come and learn the different types of dancing,” she said.
This year there will not be any adult contests, but there will be a tiny tots contest for the 5 and under crowd and a junior girls and junior boys contest for children 12 and under.
Area children will have a chance to celebrate Eastern Shawnee tribal traditions on their way back to school this Saturday.
The annual Shawna Stovall Children’s Back-to-School Pow-Wow will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday and run into the evening. The pow-wow kicks off with several activities: dunk tanks, bounce activities, a giveaway of school supply-filled backpacks to children during the festivities. A cakewalk and raffle will be available, and kids will be entered in a drawing after they receive their school supplies. A balloon artist will be on the grounds and there will be face painting and several vendors selling food, crafts and Native American jewelry.
Kids will get a chance to learn about alcohol awareness by donning beer goggles and trying to drive. Traditional tribal storytelling with Janelle Adair starts at 1 p.m., followed by a gourd dance at 2 p.m. There will be a traditional dinner meal at 5 p.m., and the dancing contests will start after the 7 p.m. grand entry.
Many locals have always gone to pow-wow, said Dian Torres, childcare developmental fund program coordinator, but for some the traditions have almost been forgotten, making cultural preservation important for today.
“Back a long time ago our parents’ parents were taught to keep all of that hush, hush because of the way Native Americans were treated,” she said.
As part of their culture-building efforts, the Eastern Shawnee tribe has also organized beading classes and an after-school program where kids get help with their homework, but once a week the focus turns to culture with crafts, stories, dance, skits about the great people of the past and maybe learn a few words in the Shawnee language.
For the last five years or so the tribe has held a back-to-school pow-wow. The annual event was started by tribal member Shawna Stovall who headed up the organizing committee until her death last year. The pow-wow was renamed in her honor and this will be the second year it carries her name. A grant, overseen by the Eastern Shawnee Child Care Developmental Fund, funds the project
Torres credits the pow-wow with the number of children enrolling in classes to learn the tribal dances.
“Each year we’re getting more and more children who come and learn the different types of dancing,” she said.
This year there will not be any adult contests, but there will be a tiny tots contest for the 5 and under crowd and a junior girls and junior boys contest for children 12 and under.
“The kids usually have a blast,” Torres said.
The event, she said, gives children a fun way to head back to school while learning about their heritage.
“It’s to teach our children cultural preservation,” Torres said. “So they can see and learn about their culture.”
Saturday’s back-to-school pow-wow is open to the public.
Head staff will lead the ceremonial parts of the evening. This year’s head staff are: Damien Blackfox, head singer; Neil Lawhead, head man; Arielle Stovall, head lady; Trey Little Axe, head lil’ boy; Faithlyn King, head lil’ girl; Bryce Washington, master of ceremonies; Warren Hawk, arena director; and Wyandotte Nation will provide the honor guard.
For more information, call 918-666-7710.
